Canals
Applecross Claypits
Glasgow, Glasgow City · Forth & Clyde Canal
£3,104 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Walk-ashore berths run by Scottish Canals
Berths you step off onto a pontoon, quay or bank: no tender, no rowing out to a buoy. Easier for loading, for a dog, and for getting aboard after dark.
28 sites · typical £3,556 a year for a 57ft narrowboat (£1,565–£7,450 across 24 published tariffs)
At a glance
- 28 sites: 26 on canals and 2 on the Broads, lakes and lochs.
- None has told us in the last six weeks that it has space.
- For a 57ft narrowboat, published prices run from £1,565 a year (Reddingmuirhead) to £7,450 a year (Viewforth Quay); the middle of 24 is £3,556 a year.
- Longest boat taken: 45m (148ft) at Banavie.
- Of the 28, 23 have electric hook-up, 16 a pump-out, 10 diesel and 1 visitor berths.
- 9 of the 28 allow liveaboards, outright or by arrangement.
Canals
Ardrishaig Basin
Ardrishaig, Argyll and Bute · Crinan Canal
£3,761 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Ardrishaig Basin Dummy Lock
Ardrishaig, Argyll and Bute · Crinan Canal
£4,513 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Auchinstarry Marina
Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire · Forth & Clyde Canal
£3,054 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Banavie
Banavie, Highland · Caledonian Canal
£4,356 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Braehead, Linlithgow
Linlithgow, West Lothian · Union Canal
£3,352 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Cairnbaan Lock 5
Cairnbaan, Argyll and Bute · Crinan Canal
£3,518 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Causewayend
Broxburn, West Lothian · Union Canal
£3,352 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Dochgarroch East
Dochgarroch, Highland · Caledonian Canal
£4,181 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus, Highland · Caledonian Canal
£4,704 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Broads, lakes & lochs
Gairlochy
Gairlochy, Highland · Caledonian Canal and Loch Lochy
£2,207 a year for a 10m cruiser
Canals
Kirkintilloch Linear
Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire · Forth & Clyde Canal
£3,042 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Broads, lakes & lochs
Laggan Avenue
Laggan, Highland · Caledonian Canal
£1,705 a year for a 10m cruiser
Canals
Leamington Wharf East
Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh · Union Canal
£5,898 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Linlithgow East
Linlithgow, West Lothian · Union Canal
£3,725 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Lock 16 Moorings
Falkirk, Falkirk · Forth & Clyde Canal
£1,936 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Oakfield Bridge
Ardrishaig, Argyll and Bute · Crinan Canal
£3,185 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Ratho Marina
Ratho, City of Edinburgh · Union Canal
£4,905 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Reddingmuirhead
Reddingmuirhead, Falkirk · Union Canal
£1,565 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Southbank Marina
Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire · Forth & Clyde Canal
£3,595 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
The Falkirk Wheel Basin
Falkirk, Falkirk · Forth & Clyde Canal
£3,054 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
The Falkirk Wheel Linear
Falkirk, Falkirk · Forth & Clyde Canal
£1,798 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Viewforth Quay
Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh · Union Canal
£7,450 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Winchburgh Marina
Winchburgh, West Lothian · Union Canal
£4,895 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Bellanoch Marina
Bellanoch, Argyll and Bute · Crinan Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Bowling Lower Basin
Bowling, West Dunbartonshire · Forth & Clyde Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Kytra
Fort Augustus, Highland · Caledonian Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Seaport Marina
Inverness, Highland · Caledonian Canal
Prices not published
Compared: prices for a 57ft narrowboat
| Site | Where | A year, 57ft narrowboat | Berths | Space |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applecross Claypits | Glasgow, Forth & Clyde Canal | £3,104 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Ardrishaig Basin | Ardrishaig, Crinan Canal | £3,761 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Ardrishaig Basin Dummy Lock | Ardrishaig, Crinan Canal | £4,513 | quay and harbour wall berths | Not reported |
| Auchinstarry Marina | Kilsyth, Forth & Clyde Canal | £3,054 | pontoon berths, linear moorings | Not reported |
| Banavie | Banavie, Caledonian Canal | £4,356 | linear moorings | Not reported |
| Braehead, Linlithgow | Linlithgow, Union Canal | £3,352 | linear moorings | Not reported |
| Cairnbaan Lock 5 | Cairnbaan, Crinan Canal | £3,518 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Causewayend | Broxburn, Union Canal | £3,352 | linear moorings | Not reported |
| Dochgarroch East | Dochgarroch, Caledonian Canal | £4,181 | linear moorings | Not reported |
| Fort Augustus | Fort Augustus, Caledonian Canal | £4,704 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Gairlochy | Gairlochy, Caledonian Canal and Loch Lochy | £3,833 | pontoon berths, linear moorings | Not reported |
| Kirkintilloch Linear | Kirkintilloch, Forth & Clyde Canal | £3,042 | linear moorings | Not reported |
| Laggan Avenue | Laggan, Caledonian Canal | £2,962 | linear moorings | Not reported |
| Leamington Wharf East | Edinburgh, Union Canal | £5,898 | linear moorings | Not reported |
| Linlithgow East | Linlithgow, Union Canal | £3,725 | linear moorings | Not reported |
| Lock 16 Moorings | Falkirk, Forth & Clyde Canal | £1,936 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Oakfield Bridge | Ardrishaig, Crinan Canal | £3,185 | pontoon berths, quay and harbour wall berths | Not reported |
| Ratho Marina | Ratho, Union Canal | £4,905 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Reddingmuirhead | Reddingmuirhead, Union Canal | £1,565 | linear moorings | Not reported |
| Southbank Marina | Kirkintilloch, Forth & Clyde Canal | £3,595 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| The Falkirk Wheel Basin | Falkirk, Forth & Clyde Canal | £3,054 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| The Falkirk Wheel Linear | Falkirk, Forth & Clyde Canal | £1,798 | linear moorings | Not reported |
| Viewforth Quay | Edinburgh, Union Canal | £7,450 | quay and harbour wall berths | Not reported |
| Winchburgh Marina | Winchburgh, Union Canal | £4,895 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Bellanoch Marina | Bellanoch, Crinan Canal | – | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Bowling Lower Basin | Bowling, Forth & Clyde Canal | – | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Kytra | Fort Augustus, Caledonian Canal | On request | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Seaport Marina | Inverness, Caledonian Canal | – | pontoon berths, quay and harbour wall berths | Not reported |
From each site's published tariff. "–" means the site doesn't say. Prices change; confirm with the site.
Questions
How much does a mooring for a 57ft narrowboat cost run by Scottish Canals?
Across the 24 walk-ashore berths here that publish a price, a 57ft narrowboat costs from £1,565 a year at Reddingmuirhead to £7,450 a year at Viewforth Quay. The middle figure is £3,556 a year. Check what each includes: electricity, water and VAT vary.
What are the cheapest walk-ashore berths run by Scottish Canals?
For a 57ft narrowboat, Reddingmuirhead is cheapest at £1,565 a year.
Which walk-ashore berths run by Scottish Canals have space now?
None of the 28 has told us in the last six weeks that it has space. We ask every site regularly; the list above updates as they reply.
Can you live aboard at walk-ashore berths run by Scottish Canals?
9 of the 28 say you can: Applecross Claypits (residential moorings with planning consent), Auchinstarry Marina (residential moorings with planning consent), Braehead, Linlithgow (liveaboards allowed), Causewayend (liveaboards allowed), Leamington Wharf East (liveaboards allowed), Linlithgow East (residential moorings with planning consent), Southbank Marina (residential moorings with planning consent), Viewforth Quay (liveaboards allowed) and 1 more. Living aboard can need planning consent and council tax; ask each site about its terms.
Do I need a licence as well as a mooring?
On top of the mooring fee: of these, 28 need a Scottish Canals licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.
Broader
Walk-ashore berths run by other groups
Run one of these sites? Tell boaters what you have free in a minute, no account needed. Update your availability